WESTLECOT trio Keith Williamson, Kevin Carter and Ray Sowden were the stars as they produced a superb performance last Friday night at Holt to cause a big upset in the men’s county triples championship quarter-finals.

Despite conceding home advantage, they knocked out holders Holt - Wayne Simmonds, Wayne Snook and Ben Gadd, who are all Wiltshire Middleton Cup players - by three shots in a 16-13 success.

The Westlecot boys were only behind once in the entire match when they dropped a two on the second end to trail 2-1.

They were 15-9 ahead at 14 but although Holt cut the gap to 15-13, Sowden’s team held their nerve, collecting a single on the 18th and last end for a hard-fought 16-13 victory.

And to rub further salt into the Holt wounds, a young Westlecot trio of Gary Jackson, Craig Hatherall and Mike Titcombe thrashed Martin Oliver’s Holt trio 24-3, the match ended early, being conceded after only 13 ends.

The other two triples quarter-finals produced close matches and last-end successes and heartbreaks.

Mike Richards’ team failed to complete a Westlecot hat-trick, losing on the last end 14-13 to Devizes despite leading until the last end, where they dropped two shots.

The Spencer Moulton team of Andy Colebrooke, Russell Francis and England international Graham Shadwell, the national triples winners in 2014, came from 13-8 down after 14 ends to beat Malmesbury 16-15 with a single on the last end.

The triples semi-finals will be held next Sunday at Devizes.

THE MEN’S fours championship quarter-finals that were washed out 11 days ago at Chippenham Town were scheduled to be played last night at Royal Wootton Bassett.

The draw saw two teams from Bassett skipped by Mel Biggs and Stephen Snell (holders) clash in the top game of the round.

A senior foursome from Westlecot of G Mazzota, Mike Titcombe Snr, Denis Coombs and Mike Hall were due to face 2014 champions Holt, skipped by Ben Gadd.

After their shock exit in the triples, the same Holt team, plus Justin Davis, would have been hoping for better fortunes against Westlecot this time.

Another Holt quartet led by Stuart Oliver were also due to play in the quarter-finals against Amesbury (Nick Revell).

The fourth and final tie in the last eight featured Highworth’s Rob Etherington versus Dave Jones of Purton.

The four winners from the quarter-finals at Bassett last night progress to the fours semi-finals at Devizes on Sunday, June 19.

TOP men’s national bowls action continues at Royal Wootton Bassett over this weekend, with the club hosting both a Wiltshire Middleton Cup and Balcombe Trophy inter-county championship tie.

Wiltshire men open their bid for glory in the Middleton Cup today (2pm) as they play Warwickshire in their first west group match.

Hosts Royal Wootton Bassett head 24-strong team with the largest representation of nine, followed by Westlecot with seven, Holt five, Spencer Moulton two while Amesbury have one representative.

Less than 24 hours later, Wiltshire entertain Somerset at Royal Wootton Bassett (10am) in a first round Balcombe Trophy inter-county double rinks tie. A win would ensure Wiltshire of a place in the last four of the west regional finals at Clevedon (Somerset) on Sunday, June 26 (10am).